fetoprotein

(fē′tə-prō′tēn, -tē-ĭn)

Any of several antigens normally present in a fetus and occurring abnormally in adults as a result of certain cancers or diseases of the liver.

fe·to·pro·tein

, alpha (α)-fetoprotein (AFP) , gamma (γ)-fetoprotein , beta (β)-fetoprotein (fē'tō-prō'tēn, al'fă, gam'ă, bātă)

Fetal proteins found in small amounts in adults in the following forms: 1) AFP increases in maternal blood during pregnancy; when detected by amniocentesis, is an important indicator of neural tube defects (e.g., spina bifida); used as a tumor marker in adults with hepatocellular carcinoma; 2) beta (β)-fetoprotein, although a fetal liver protein, has been detected in adult patients with liver disease; and 3) gamma (γ)-fetoprotein occurs in association with various neoplasms.
See also: fetoglobulins

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

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References in periodicals archive

Ultrasound and serum alpha fetoprotein levels are currently the mainstay of screening.

ASSOCIATION OF SERUM ALPHA FETOPROTEIN (AFP) LEVELS WITH SIZE OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

Exclusion of the existence of embryonic tumors requires determination of serum levels of alpha fetoprotein and beta chorionic gonadotropin.

DOES URINARY TRACT ULTRASOUND HAVE ITS PLACE IN THE TREATMENT OF EARLY NEONATAL JAUNDICE? NEONATAL BILATERAL ADRENAL HEMORRHAGE: CASE REPORT

Williams, "Prognostic value of serum alpha fetoprotein in fulminant hepatic failure including patients treated by charcoal haemoperfusion," Gut, vol.

Alpha-Fetoprotein as a Predictive Marker for Patients with Hepatitis B-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Alpha fetoprotein, beta chorionic gonodatropine and lactate dehydrogenase are used as testicular tumor markers (10).

A rare cause of acute abdomen: tumor rupture of nonpalpable testis

A fetoprotein is a sensitive marker for malignant germ cell tumors like yolk sac tumor and malignant teratoma.

Study of ovarian lesions in children

The main aim of the present study was to know the role of the alpha fetoprotein in diagnosis of the premature rupture of the membranes.

Role of alpha feto protein as a marker in diagnosis of premature rupture of membranes in rural population

The first case was of a 20-year-old woman at 19 weeks' gestation who presented with maternal serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) elevated by 4.4 multiples of the median (MOM).

MRI 'promising' in evaluating fetal, intracranial lesions, but challenges remain: the technology is costly and its availability is limited; false-positive and false-negative diagnoses also at issue

An English study found that measuring human chorionic gonadotrophin was a much better test for detecting the presence of Down's syndrome than methods currently used -- measuring unconjugated estriol and alpha fetoprotein. These older tests have a detection rate of approximately 30 percent, while screening for human chorionic gonadotrophin would detect over 60 percent of effected pregnancies.

Prenatal screening

Immunohistochemical staining for anti-EpCAM (Mouse, B302 - 323 / A3, Abcam, 1:200) and anti-alpha1 fetoprotein (Rabbit, EPR9309, Abcam, 1:50) was performed according to manufacturer instructions.

Immunohistochemical Coexpression of Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule and Alpha-Fetoprotein in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Blood sample was drawn for the measurement of serum Alfa fetoprotein levels.

Frequency of deaths in hepatitis C virus infected hepatocellular carcinoma patients and its relationship with raised serum alpha-fetoprotein levels

The study also emphasizes on the importance of clinical presentation, median age at presentation and evaluation of raised titres of serum alpha fetoprotein levels in hepatoblastoma.

Histomorphological study of paediatric liver tumours-a single institution experience